Trim parts forming method and tools

Abstract

A method for manufacturing first and second trim parts of a vehicle, the first trim part having a first thickness and the second trim part having a second thickness different from the first thickness. The method includes introducing the first trim part and the second trim part between a front and a back tool of the forming mold, the front tool having a front fixed part and a front movable insert movable with respect to the front fixed part along a main direction, the back tool having a back fixed part and a back movable insert movable with respect to the back fixed part along the main direction; and adjusting settings of the forming mold to different values for the first and second trim parts.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing first and second trim parts of a vehicle in a forming mold, the first trim part having a first thickness and the second trim part having a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the forming mold includes a front tool and a back tool that are adjustable according to settings, wherein the front tool includes a front fixed part of the forming mold and a front movable insert of the forming mold, the front movable insert of the forming mold being movable with respect to the front fixed part along a main direction, and wherein the back tool includes a back fixed part of the forming mold and a back movable insert of the forming mold, the back movable insert of the forming mold being movable with respect to the back fixed part along the main direction, the method comprising the following steps:
 adjusting the settings of the forming mold to first values, wherein the settings include one or more settings selected from: a front final position of the front movable insert of the forming mold along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part, a back final position of the back movable insert of the forming mold along the main direction with respect to the back fixed part, and a size of a gap between the front movable insert of the forming mold and the back movable insert of the forming mold when the forming mold is closed; 
 introducing the first trim part between the front tool and the back tool of the forming mold; 
 closing the forming mold, the first values of the settings being chosen such that, when the forming mold is closed, the front movable insert of the forming mold has a first front final position along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part and the back movable insert of the forming mold has a first back final position along the main direction with respect to the back fixed part; 
 adjusting the settings of the forming mold to second values different from the first values; 
 introducing the second trim part between the front tool and the back tool of the forming mold; 
 closing the forming mold, the second values of the settings being chosen such that, when the forming mold is closed, the front movable insert of the forming mold has a second front final position along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part different from the first front final position, and the back movable insert of the forming mold has a second back final position along the main direction with respect to the back fixed part, different from the first back final position. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the settings include both of the front final position of the front movable insert of the forming mold along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part and the gap between the front movable insert and the back movable insert when the forming mold is closed. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the front and back tools are moved one toward the other when the forming mold closes, the first trim part having a non-compressible layer toward the back tool and a compressible layer toward the front tool, the second trim part having no compressible layer and the second thickness being lower than the first thickness, the second front final position being shifted away from the back tool along the main direction with respect to the first front final position, the second back final position being shifted toward the front tool along the main direction with respect to the first back final position. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the front tool defines the A-side of the first and second trim parts. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein central areas of the first and second trim parts are formed between the front and back movable inserts, and surrounding areas of the first and second trim parts are formed between the front and back fixed parts, the respective surrounding areas of the first and second trim parts surrounding the respective central areas of the first and second trim parts. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of closing the forming mold comprises the following sub-steps:
 moving the front and back tools toward one another, until the central area of the first or second trim part is pressed by the front movable insert against the back movable insert, the surrounding area of the first or second trim part being not pressed by the front fixed part against the back fixed part; and 
 moving the front and back tools further toward one another, the back movable insert being moved with the front movable insert with respect to the back fixed part along the main direction, until the surrounding area of the first or second trim part is pressed by the front fixed part against the back fixed part. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the front tool and the back tool move toward each other along the main direction when the forming mold closes. 
     
     
       8. An assembly for manufacturing first and second trim parts of vehicle, the first trim part having a first thickness and the second trim part having a second thickness different from the first thickness, the assembly comprising:
 a forming mold, having front and back tools movable with respect to one another, the front tool having a front fixed part and a front movable insert movable with respect to the front fixed part along a main direction, the back tool having a back fixed part and a back movable insert movable with respect to the back fixed part along the main direction, the forming mold having an open position in which the front and back tools are farther away from one another, and a closed position in which the front and back tools are closer to one another; 
 a device for introducing the first or second trim parts between front and back tools of the forming mold in the open position; 
 a device adjusting settings of the forming mold selectively to first or second values different from one another, the first values of the settings being chosen such that, when the forming mold is closed, the front insert has a first front final position along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part and the back insert has a first back final position along the main direction with respect to the back fixed part, the second values of the settings being chosen such that, when the forming mold is closed, the front insert has a second front final position along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part different from the first front final position, and the back insert has a second back final position along the main direction with respect to the back fixed part, different from the first back final position. 
 
     
     
       9. The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the settings comprise the front final position of the front insert along the main direction with respect to the front fixed part, and the gap between the front insert and the back insert when the forming mold is closed. 
     
     
       10. The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the first trim part has a non-compressible layer toward the back tool and a compressible layer toward the front tool, the second trim part having no compressible layer and the second thickness being lower than the first thickness, the second front final position being shifted away from the back tool along the main direction with respect to the first front final position, the second back final position being shifted toward the front tool along the main direction with respect to the first back final position. 
     
     
       11. The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the front tool defines the A-side of the first and second trim parts. 
     
     
       12. The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein central areas of the first and second trim parts are formed between the front and back inserts, and peripheral areas of the first and second trim part are formed between the front and back fixed parts, the respective peripheral areas of the first and second trim parts surrounding the respective central areas of the first and second trim parts. 
     
     
       13. The assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the forming mold is arranged such that, when the forming mold is closed by moving the front and back tools toward one another:
 the central area of the first or second trim part is first pressed by the front insert against the back insert, the peripheral area of the first or second trim part being not pressed by the front fixed part against the back fixed part; and 
 then the back insert is moved with the front insert with respect to the back fixed part along the main direction, until the peripheral area of the first or second trim part is pressed by the front fixed part against the back fixed part.